Losing the Universe
by katzy8
Summary: Modern AU Story. Kacey O'Callahan had a pretty crappy family. Her mother was a heroine addict and her father was an alcoholic. The only good person in her family and in her life is her older brother Jack. What happens when Jack moves away and becomes an Olympic champion?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is a modern AU story! The Soviet Union still exists as well as the cold war but it has just been going on until present day. Characters are also gonna be AU with me changing, adding and not using certain facts about them. This is my warning. If you don't like the idea of me changing stuff then don't read. So instead of the 1980 Olympics they would have won the 2014 Olympics.**

 **2009**

On a damp rainy April night in a little green townhouse in Charlestown, Massachusetts a little 10 year old girl lay in her bed crying. It wasn't a bed but more of a mattress on top of another mattress with blankets and pillows thrown all across it. Her family didn't have a lot of money for real furniture. Whatever money was made went to her Dad for his alcohol or for her mother's heroine. So simple pleasures like a bed frame or a dresser were not found in this house. Food was also a thing that was sometimes forgotten by her parents because they were more worried about when their next beer or shot of heroine would come from instead of their next meal.

The girl sobbed harder as she heard more yelling and screaming from downstairs. She was scared. Whenever her daddy and mommy drank or did drugs they got very violent and would go after her, her brother or sometimes each other. The most common person to go after however was her older brother, Jack, who was 16 years old and who was downstairs with them right now. He always protected his little sister when their parents got violent sending her to her room and taking all the punches. He always likes to joke, "I'm a hockey player. I can take a punch or two." When Jack isn't home and mommy and daddy hit her and Jack turns red with anger and comforts her before going to pick a fight with them and how they should treat their daughter.

"I told you to watch your fucking mouth!" booms a loud and deep voice before she hears a really loud slap. A few seconds later she can hear scuffling and a fight break out downstairs.

"You show better listen to your father next time!" a shrilly woman's voice screams. The little girl didn't know why they were mad but she thinks it has something to do with her brother bringing some hockey friends over named Jimmy, Dave and Mike. Jack has had them over a bunch of times when their parents weren't home and they were very nice to her. They were kind of like brothers to her in a weird and strange way. They always let her hang out with them and brought her everywhere they went like the hockey rink or the diner down the street.

The little girl lies in bed for a little while and finally the screaming and banging stops and the house is left in a dead tense silence. The little girl sniffled not wanting to make any noise and draw attention to herself. She hears her door creak open and looks up as Jack walks in with bruises starting to form on his left cheek as well as a bloody nose.

"Shhhhh. Shhhhhh. Don't cry." Jack coos as he shuts the door and rushes over gathering his little sister in his arms. "It's alright Kacey. I'm here."

"You guys were fighting again and were very loud. I was scared they were gonna hurt you." the girl sniffled and rubbed her nose before returning her arm to its previous position around Jack's neck.

"I know but it's over now. I'm ok and it's over." he says softly slowly standing up cradling the girl in his arms before walking into the hall bathroom and wetting a wash cloth to wipe away the tear streaks on the girl's face.

"You need this more than me." she argues shoving the wash cloth away and pointing at her brother's bleeding nose.

Jack gives a light chuckle. "Oh do I?"

"Yes you do." the little girl responds stubbornly and takes the wash cloth from his hands and starts to wipe her brother's nose.

"Ok. Ok. I got it. Sheesh." Jack grumbles taking back the wash cloth and continuing wipe his face off using the cracked bathroom mirror. The little girl sits on the toilet silently and watches her older brother.

"Jack?"

"Hmm?"

"Why do you always have to get in fights with Mom and Dad?" she asks in a small voice.

Jack sighs putting down the wash cloth and gripping the edges on the sink. "Mom and Dad need to be reminded about some things sometimes and they don't like being reminded. They just get mad when I remind them that's all."

The little girl didn't believe this but didn't want to press her brother for more information. They sit in silence for a few moments before Jack starts moving.

"Ok little lady it is way past your bedtime." he informs her as he picks her up again and brings her back into her room which is also his room. Jack sets her down on her make shift bed tucking her in with old ratty blankets and handing her an old teddy bear she had gotten when she was 4.

"Go to sleep now." He says softly stroking the girl's head.

"Jack?"

"Yes Kacey?"

"Will we ever be safe from Mom and Dad?"

Jack pauses. "Yes. One day. As long as I'm around I'm not gonna let them lay a finger on you."

"But who is gonna protect you?" she asks in a small voice.

"Well, I don't need, uh protection. I'm a hockey player. I can take a punch or two." Jack responds trying to give her a little care free smirk.

"I'm being serious Jack." the girl argues in a serious tone.

"And I'm being serious too." Jack could tell by his younger sister's face that she wasn't buying it.

"You can't keep getting beaten like this. What if you get really hurt or worse?" Kacey's voice gets quiet and shaky on the last word.

"It's better me than you." Jack states simply. Kacey looks down and feels tears start to fill her eyes.

"It's not fair."

"Life is never fair." Jack tells her softly and then pauses. "Look no matter what happens in the next few days just know that I love you more than anything else and that you don't ever forget that."

"Why are you saying this? What are you going to do?" questions Kacey looking up at her older brother.

"I'm gonna run away. See if I can crash with a friend for a few days before trying to get on my feet somehow. As soon as I get on my feet I'm gonna come and get you." Jack tells the little girl while searching her face to see if she was understanding what he was saying to her.

Kacey is quiet for a few moments. "You will come back for me right?"

"Of course. I would never abandon you with these people." Jack answers reassuringly. "As soon as I can get us a safe place to live I will be coming right over here to get you. Now go to sleep. It's getting very late."

Jack stands up and shuts the light out before starting to make his way over to his own make shift bed.

"Jack?"

"Hm?"

"Can you stay with me for tonight?"

"Of course I can." he responds. "Now move over!" he whisper yells as he shuffles onto the bed with Kacey and gets under the blankets. They lay in silence for a few minutes before Kacey speaks.

"Jack, promise you will come and get me?"

"I promise."


	2. Chapter 2

**2014**

"Kacey!"

I look up and see a barista holding up my cup of hot chocolate. I raise my hand giving a friendly smile as I stand up and walk over to the counter.

"Have a nice day." the woman smiles before going off to make another drink.

"You too!" I call before turning around and walking out into the crisp November air and start my walk towards the subway.

The T as us Bostonians call it is the best way to travel around the city. Driving in the city is such a pain in my opinion. I take it every morning to get from Charlestown to Kenmore which is where my school, Boston Latin, is located. Barely anybody goes from Charlestown goes to Boston Latin but I had very good grades and was able to get a scholarship to the school just like my brother.

My mind often wanders and thinks about my brother and his friends who just 9 months ago won gold medals at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Soviet Union. It was a huge upset beating the Soviets in hockey never mind in their own country. I remember watching the game on TV and cheering Jack as well as Silky, Jimmy and Rizzo on at my best friend Riley's apartment. I hadn't seen any of them in over a year since they first set out for Minnesota last July which was summer going into freshman year. Jack didn't end up leaving home until college even though he really wanted to runaway that one night in April. He couldn't leave me with my parents alone so when I was 12 Jack got a scholarship to Boston University and moved into the dorms there. I assured Jack I was ok to be alone in the house with my parents and put up a pretty good act to make him believe it. He was in college and he didn't need to have the burden of raising me. Still somehow I ended up pretty much living in his dorm with him and Silky. I never really realized it but even when Jack moved out he still took care of me and I still pretty much lived with him. Thank god he had Silky as a roommate and not some random dude so I was able to stay there as much as I had. Silky, Jimmy and Rizzo became even more like brothers to me during those college years.

"Next stop Kenmore!" the conductors voice crackles over the PA system. I reposition my bag on my shoulder and start walking as soon as the doors open. If I walked really fast I would be able to make first bell and not be marked late for school. I am dressed in my school uniform which is white collared shirt with a grey sweater vest over that then a hunter green blazer over that as well as a mid thigh length grey skirt. I then added knee high grey socks and black ballet flats to finish the outfit. I did natural look makeup and had my light brown hair straightened.

"Kacey!"

I turn towards the voice and see one of my best friends Renee walking towards me with her twin brother Arnie. Renee had dark brown eyes and dark brown hair that was naturally wavy. Arnie had light brown hair that spiked a bit in the front. I was on the same cheerleading team as both of them. I needed something to get me out of the house to be away from my parents and cheerleading was just what I needed. I I am on my school's cheerleading team. I also am on the girls hockey team at my school. It's a good cover up to all my cuts and bruises left by my parents when they beat me. Just blame it on hockey.

"Hey guys! What's up?" I smile and wait for them to catch up.

"Nothing much. I'm just stressed out about this history test Mr. Kensworth is giving us." Renee replies and runs her fingers through her hair. We start walking on the street towards our school.

"Oh I feel pretty confident about it." I respond.

"Well thats because history is easy for you. It comes naturally for you." Arnie reminds me.

It's true. History came very easy to me as it did to Jack. Jack would always read history book to me when I was little or have a whole history conversation when I would go out to eat with him.

"I really just want Thanksgiving break to be here." I complain. This was our last day of school before break and I really just wanted it to be over. I was so excited for Thanksgiving with Mrs. Eruzione. I never spent holidays with my parents because they were always drunk or high and didn't know it was even a holiday. When I was 10 Rizzo started taking me and Jack to his family holidays and we just became part of the family. Any holiday you can think of I was at the Eruzione's. Even last year when Jack and Rizzo were stuck in Minnesota I was still at the Eruzione holiday festivities.

"I'm mostly excited for black friday shopping." Renee adds. Unlike me Renee and Arnie had two loving parents who were able to provide for them which means they were not on scholarship and could throw money around however they pleased.

"And here we are folks. Hell on earth." Arnie jokes as we walk up the steps to our school. It may be considered one of the best public schools in America but it was still school and we are still teenagers which means we have to hate it.

"Hey look I got to go to Mr. Wilkson's office. He wanted to see me." I tell them before turning to walk to the main office. Mr. Wilkson is the principal of the school, this is his first year, and needless to say he was not very fond of scholarship kids. I feel like he has a sort of pleasure of making the scholarship kid's lives a living hell by making requirements a lot harder for them and making it a lot easier to have a scholarship pulled.

I go and sit in the leather chairs outside his office waiting to be called in. I pull out my phone and scroll through the snap chat news stories as I wait. On the yahoo news one I see a story that catches my eye. _U.S. National Team In Boston For Big Game._

Of course the team was here in Boston. They were playing the Boston Bruins in a few days. After their success in Sochi the team was given the choice to either break up into different NHL teams or to stay together as the national team to compete against other countries as well as the IHL and NHL. I personally thought the boys would split into the NHL because that is every hockey players dream and a lot of the boys had already been drafted including my brother but they all decided to stay together as a team and become the United States National Mens Hockey Team.

Before I can scroll through the story however I am called into Mr. Wilkson's office.

"Ah Miss O'Callahan please take a seat." he offers and motions to more leather chairs. His office walls are a deep mahogany panels like the rest of the school. It really gives off the whole rich and powerful vibe. I sit down slowly.

"I would like to inform you that we have some special guests coming today. They are getting a private tour around the school and I do not want them to see anything that may be a well embarrassment to the school. I would appreciate it if you and the other scholarship kids didn't...well...interact with the special guests." Mr. Wilkson says getting straight to the point. I try to not take any offense from what he has just said to me but it is kind of hard not too.

"Yes sir." I say in a small voice. I may be from Charlestown and a fighter (especially in hockey) I was not going to risk pissing him off enough to take away my scholarship.

"And the punishments for bothering these special guests is immediate expulsion from this academy. Do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal." I respond. Really expulsion? That's pretty harsh for the crime.

"Dismissed." He says sitting down and putting his reading glasses on to look over papers. I quickly grab my bag and high tail it out of there to my first class which just happens to be Chemistry which I hate.

I sit down at a lab table next to by best friend Riley. Riley is super rich and lives in Beacon Hill. It still puzzles me to this day why she would be best friends with a poor scholarship kid like me. Riley has auburn hair and blue eyes and is pretty much my closet girl friend, the kind that is pretty much a sister to you.

"Hey how did your meeting with Mr. Wilkson go?" she questions as she takes a bite of her blueberry muffin that was most likely from a very high class bakery.

"It was fine. He said some special guests were coming and that if I bothered any of them he would expel me or any scholarship kid for that matter."

"Wow thats harsh. I honestly feel like he is secretly Satan and is just looking for ways to make the scholarship kids lives more of a living hell." Riley thinks out loud.

"Trust me. I feel the exact same way." I pull my phone out and go back to the story about the team on snap chat and start skimming through it. _Here to play Bruins, blah blah blah, touring city together, blah blah blah, Jack O'Callahan brings fiancee Stephanie Wilkson._

I mentally gag. Stephanie Wilkson just happens to be the daughter of Principal Wilkson. The Wilkson's lived in Minnesota until Mr. Wilkson got the job at Boston Latin and moved his whole family here except Stephanie who attended U of Minnesota where she met and started dating Jack after the Olympics. Now let me just start off by saying she is a blonde she devil who is most definitely a gold digger and is only with my brother for the fame. They got engaged after only 6 months of dating! You see when Jack moved out to Minnesota he would write and text me all the time and send whatever left over money he really had because he knew mom and dad weren't doing anything for me since I was back home with my parents 24/7 because he wasn't around anymore. After he started dating Stephanie the letters and texts became few and far in between and the money eventually all but stopped. I still got the occasional letter though when Jimmy, Silky or Rizzo sent one. The last bit of money Jack sent me was $50 in October. Also what gets me is that Herb Brooks has a no girls rule for the boys. He mentioned it in an interview once. He feels they distract them from the game which I have to agree and unless the boys were already in a serious relationship than they were sworn off relationships because as we all know new relationships can ruin anything in that dangerous Honey Moon phase. And yet somehow Stephanie slipped through even Herb Brooks fingers and into Jack's lap. Oh and did I mention Stephanie has a younger sister Tiffany that goes to Boston Latin and that is in my grade? Yeah Tiffany is almost as worse as Stephanie and literally torments me as much as she possibly can and actually tries to get me kicked out of school.

"You're making that face again."

"What face?" I ask locking my phone and looking up at Riley raising my eyebrows.

"That face that makes you look like about to punch a wall." she responds.

"Oh that face." I roll my eyes laughing.

"Yeah that face." Riley laughs with me. "Why were you making that face?"

"Two words. Stephanie Wilkson."

"Enough said." Riley agrees. "That would make me want to punch a wall too."

Riley knew that Jack was my brother. A lot of people knew actually but I never went around bragging or talking about it.

"Hey Kacey!"

I cringe. I know that voice. I turn my head and see none other than Tiffany Wilkson walking towards me. Everyone things she looks like that TV star Peyton List but I thinks she looks like a raccoon that got hit by a make up and tanning spray truck.

"Tiffany what a surprise." I greet her my voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Oh shut it O'Callahan. I just wanted to let you know that the special guests today are very important people and if I see you talking to anyone of them I will personally go to my father to have you expelled." Tiffany sneers at me. "We don't want these high class people meeting scum like you."

"Wow Tiffany using your Daddy to threaten me. So original." I glare at her. "Don't worry I don't wanna go anywhere near your stuck up special guests anyways. Might have some of their fakeness get on me and I'm allergic to fakeness."

Tiffany just gives me a hateful gaze before flipping her bleach blonde hair and strutting away. Yes strutting, not walking, strutting. She thinks she rules the school just because he Daddy is principal.

"I hate her. I hope the next time she goes to get her hair dyed it all falls out and she ends up bald." Riley says.

I snort as a mental picture of a bald Tiffany comes into my head. "Even if she was bald she would still think she was the prettiest girl in the whole world."

"Ok let's change the topic. Talking about Tiffany makes me feel way too hateful. Are you still coming over tonight? We can have an ice cream and movie night."

"Sounds like fun. As long as I'm not home tonight. I don't want to deal with my parents." I tell Riley. Riley knew I had a very bad relationship with my parents but she didn't know the extent of what they did to me.

"I was thinking buying like two pints of Half Baked Ben and Jerry's ice cream and watching Grease." Riley informs me. Leave it to Riley to already plan the night. However she did choose my favorite ice cream flavor and one of my favorite movies so I wasn't about to complain.

"All my favorites. I'm in." I smile. "And after Grease how about we watch Footloose? You gotta love a young Kevin Bacon."

"Who doesn't?" Riley answers as we both start laughing.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Eh Rizzo do you think your mom is going to be making meatballs for Thanksgiving?" John "Bah" Harrington asks as the whole team sits on the coach bus waiting for it to arrive at our destination.

"It wouldn't be a Eruzione holiday if there weren't meatballs." he calls back. The whole bus hoots and hollers. Everyone loved Rizzo's meatballs and if Rizzo's were good that means his mother's must be better.

I feel my fiancee Stephanie shift in my arms. "Don't worry I'm sure there will be some salad or something." I whisper in her ear. Stephanie was a vegan so sometimes meals were difficult for her.

"I hope so." she mutters and stares out the window for a few moments before turning towards me. "I am very excited for you to meet my sister and father. I'm sure you guys are going to get along great."

"Well I am very excited to meet them." I reply resting my forehead against hers.

"Get a room!" Verchota yells at us and I smirk flipping him off.

"Oh shut up Verchota. At least Jack actually gets some unlike you. Any girl that would sleep with you must be blind and have no sense of smell!" Stephanie throws back at him nastily.

Verchota and all the boys stop laughing and shut up. I will admit that was a little harsh but hey they were asking for it. Stephanie can be really mean when provoked.

"Where are we going?" I question her looking at the familiar city of Boston dart past my eyes.

"We are visiting my sister's school which my Dad is principal of. It's very prestigious." she tells me.

I nod my head and continue to look out the window. Boston must be the best place on earth. I am excited to be back her for the Thanksgiving. I'm spending the morning with Stephanie and her family and going to meet up with the team at the Eruzione's house in the afternoon. Being in Boston also reminded me of my little sister. I hope she is doing ok with having to live with my parents and all again. She swears they haven't laid a finger on her but I highly doubt that. I'm so proud of her. She got in Boston Latin on scholarship just like her big bro. The last time I saw her was summer of her freshman year which was a year and a few months ago. I pull out my phone and start a new text message to Kacey but I don't even know where to begin to suggest us getting together. I then remember between the hockey with the game and practices and spending time with Stephanie and her family I would have no time to see Kacey for quality time. It's not fair to tell her I'm in city but have no time to see her.

"Next time." I think to myself. Next time.

After what seems like forever the coach bus finally pulls into a stop in front of none other than my old high school, Boston Latin.

"No way. Your Dad is principal of Boston Latin? I used to go here." I tell Stephanie looking out the window noticing that other than some new landscaping the school looked exactly the same as when I went here.

"Really? That's such a coincidence!" she exclaims. "You boys wait here. I'm gonna go find my father so we aren't running around the school like mad people." Stephanie stands up, leaving the bus and disappears into the school.

"Eh O.C. doesn't Kacey go here?" Jimmy asks. He was sitting across from me with Rizzo. Silky pops his head over the seat in front of them upon hearing Kacey's name.

"Yeah she does. Full 4 year scholarship." I brag proud of my little sister's accomplishment. "She's extremely smart just like her older bro."

Mac snorts at that last comment. "I wouldn't say you're smart but.…" I roll my eyes at him. We are friends now but the type of friends that bust each others balls a bunch

"So do we finally get to meet this amazing wonderful little sister that you could never stop talking about?" Buzz interrupts Mac. The boys were used to me and the other Boston boys talking about Kacey because we missed her so much. They pretty much knew her even though they have never met her.

"I don't know. I didn't make any plans to see her because the whole time I'm here I'm either at hockey or with Stephanie and her family." I respond truthfully. "Maybe since we are here I can spend a little time with her."

"I'm gonna text her telling her we are here and she better say hi and eat lunch with us." Silky decided pulling out his phone.

"Why would she wanna eat lunch with you Silk?" Mac jokes raising his eyebrows.

"Because we're best friends." Silky replies in a duh kind of tone almost like a girl.

I chuckle remembering the friendship pact they made back when Kacey was 12 and Silky was 18. Even now 4 years later Silky is gonna uphold that pact. I knew that Kacey bonded a lot with Jimmy, Silky and Rizzo during the college years. They were always around and she was always around and it just happened. They filled a void in a way for her and made her be open and trust people other than me.

"I don't believe you still remember that pact Silky." I say. "That is all the way back in freshman year of college."

"I could never forget. We made the pact after I finished moving into our dorm room." Silk remembers. "I just didn't realize how much time she would actually be staying with us."

Before anybody can say anything else Stephanie climbs back onto the bus.

"Ok everybody, my Dad and sister are inside and are ready to start giving the tour!" Stephanie calls out. "And please try to actually behave like humans. This isn't a crappy run down public school like all of yours was."

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

 **Kacey POV**

"So as these two elements bond they form an ionic bond." my teacher drones on about something but I'm not listening. No one is. It's the day before beak and she is trying to teach us. I'm pretty sure there is an unspoken rule that on the day before break you either give a test or watch movies in class.

I jump as my phone vibrates in my bag. Riley turns and looks at me raising her eyebrows. I just smile and give my shoulders a small shrug before reaching into my bag and pulling my phone out on to my lap. I see I have a text and open it.

 _Hey we're in Boston right now and guess where we are!? Boston Latin! We are getting a tour of school by Stephanie's sister so me and all the boys are expecting you to say hi and eat lunch with us. Remember best friends eat lunch together!_

I check the contact and see its from none other than Mr. David Silk. I give a slight chuckle at the last line of the text. Of course Silky would put in a line from the friendship pact we made when I was 12. Then I start having a minor panic attack. The special guests were the freaking Olympic Hockey Team which just happens to include my brother and his crazy friends. That is just my luck.

I turn towards Riley and give her a expression between I'm so dead and I'm so scared. She gives me a questioning look and I slide my phone over to her. She reads the text and then looks up at me mouthing "Oh shit."

I nod and put my face in my hands. This is not good. If the boys talk to me while Stephanie or Tiffany or Mr. Wilkson is around I'm gonna lose my scholarship and get expelled and then I wouldn't be able to get an athletic scholarship to a good college and I would end up a druggie like my parents. This is not good.

The bell signaling the end of the period rings and I jump up and walk briskly out of the room with Riley close behind me.

"What are you gonna do?" she asks me as I start to rush towards my next class which is English. I did not want to run into this tour that contains my brother or his friends.

"Well I'm gonna run to each of my classes and if I even see a glimpse of a hockey player I will run in the other direction. And if one of them talks to me I'm just gonna jump out of a 4th floor window to just end things quicker and not give the Wilkson's the pleasure of ending my life for me." I decide as I weave in and out of the hallway traffic.

"Ok that last part was a bit dramatic." Riley tells me.

"No it wasn't." I argue. "I would rather take myself out than give the Wilkson's the pleasure of doing it. Why does this have to be happening to me?"

"Look at the positive here. You haven't seen your brother or the guys in like a year so you finally get to reunited. You have been dying to see them." Riley counters trying to make me see the positive of this horrible situation.

"Yeah I miss them so much but I don't need to have the Wilkson's flip shit on me and expel me out of school. If I get expelled I will have to go to the public school in Charlestown and I will never be able to get out of that neighborhood." I explain. "Without this school I will always be stuck in the slums of Charlestown."

Riley presses her lips together and doesn't say anything else. She knew that what I said was true. I finally reach my English classroom.

"I'll see you in History and then lunch." I tell her before walking in and taking my seat.

This is going to be a very long day.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

 **Silky POV**

"Ok everyone so this is my Dad, Mr Wilkson, who is principal of this school and that's my little sister, Tiffany." Stephanie introduces the team to her family. They look pretty stuck up. They both have perfect posture and are smiling so big it is noticeable fake. The girl is also wearing way to make up on her face. She looks like a raccoon that got hit by a make up truck in my opinion.

The whole team says hi and waves. Nobody on the team really liked Stephanie except for Jack. She isn't Jack's type at all and when he told us that he proposed to her nobody knew what to say. She completely changed him and his personality did a complete 180. Instead of being cocky and the first one to drop his gloves on the ice he changed to be reserved and not even willing to stand up for himself in a fight on the ice. Herb is at a loss right now what to do with Jack and his position on the team. This is exactly why he put the no new girlfriends rule in place. Jimmy, Rizzo and I are especially worried about Jack and Stephanie being together. We have been good friends since we were teenagers and no girl has ever made Jack act like this before. Jack was never one for serious relationships. The fact that he proposed told us something was not right about this relationship.

"Welcome everyone! All the students and staff of Boston Latin are very excited for you guys to be here today." the man Stephanie pointed out as his father began, "Tiffany is going to be giving you a tour around the school as well as this young man."

I look and see a teenage boy with brown hair in a short Bieber kind of hairstyle and brown eyes standing next to Tiffany.

"Brayden and Tiffany are going to start the tour now. Enjoy everyone." Mr. Wilkson finishes before leading us into the school.

The only thing that is going to get me through this stupid school tour is seeing Kacey. Kacey is my best friend (we made a pact) and is like a little sister to me. She pretty much lived in Jack and I's dorm when we were at Boston University. Rizzo, Jimmy and I knew that she didn't have a stable home to go so we always let her hang and crash with us. Everyone on the team knows who Kacey is even though they have never met here. The Boston Boys always talked about her and showed pictures. We like to call her our little pride and joy.

I pull out my phone and see that Kacey hasn't texted me back. Well she is technically in class I think to myself as we walk into the building.


	3. Chapter 3

**Kacey POV**

Ok I have made it through every period of the day so far without running into the hockey team and I'm pretty sure I just aced my history test so I'm having a pretty good school day so far. Now I only have lunch, Geometry and Home Ec before I can leave school and not have to worry about being expelled.

"How do you think the test was?" I ask Renee as we walk out of our history classroom and towards the cafeteria.

"I think I got around a C. He always gives such hard tests." she complains. "Let me guess you think you got an A?"

I shrug sheepishly. "Yeah. I do admit some of the questions were hard." I say trying to make Renee feel better.

"No you didn't. Don't try to make me feel better." she scolds but smiles at me. Riley walks up next to me and gives me a playful nudge.

"Hey guys."

"Hey." both me and Renee respond at the same time. "What's up?"

"Nothing much. Same old same old. So how has your avoid hockey team at all costs scheme going?" Riley questions me.

I groan while Renee laughs. "So far she has ducked behind two trash cans and ran in the other direction three times. All of them being false alarms." Renee informs Riley.

"I think you're just being paranoid." she speculated.

"No. It's called being careful." I counter. "And I only ran in the other direction once!"

"Nope. Remember between Gym and History?" Renee reminds me and I suddenly remember how I saw the flash of red, white and blue and took off running in the opposite direction. It turned out to be a false alarm of course. It's stupid of me to think that the hockey team is just parading around the school in red, white and blue like American flags. They are most likely in nicer causal clothing.

"I hate you." I growl out as we reach the cafeteria. We reach our usual table and set our back packs on the chairs before heading over to the kitchen where all the food is.

"Don't look now. You may have to duck and cover." Riley whispers and nods to left.

I turn my head and see the table that Tiffany usually sits at for lunch. It is by the huge windows that overlook the city and the floor is slightly raised above everywhere else in the room almost like a stage. I see Tiffany at the head of the table with Stephanie and all around the table is none other than the hockey team that I have been trying oh so hard to avoid. I see Rizzo, Jimmy and Silky all laughing and having a good time with the whole team. I can't help but be reminded how much I miss them. I then see my brother, Jack. I feel my heart skip a beat. All I want to do is run across the cafeteria and hug my brother but if I did that there is no doubt in my mind that I would be expelled.

I close my eyes and take a deep breath. "We're in the cafeteria I just have to stay in the crowds." I try to convince myself. Renee puts a reassuring hand on my shoulder as we continue to walk. I walk with the crowd into the kitchen and spend an unreasonable amount of time pretending to debate between getting a salad and a slice of pizza even though I knew I wanted the salad.

"Kacey you can't take the whole lunch period to choose your lunch." Renee nags me.

I roll my eyes grabbing a pre made house salad and a bottle of water. I pay for them at the cashier and start to walk back to my table with Riley and Renee. I already see the bags of our other friends all around the table. There is my crowd in which I can hide from the team.

"Almost there. You got this." I murmur to myself as we near my table.

"Hey O'Callahan!"

I freeze. I know that voice. I turn slowly and see Tiffany standing up waving me over to the table. I also see all the boys looking at me. I don't dare look at any of the boys faces. This is not good. Not good at all. I look over at Renee and Riley and they are looking at me shocked that Tiffany would be calling me over to her table while her "special guests" are here.

"What do I do?" I hiss at them.

"Go over." Riley advises as she takes my salad and water from me. "I'll put these on the table and then I'll go by you."

I nod, take a deep breath and start walking towards Tiffany. I reach the table finally much to my dismay. I put on a fake smile trying to make the best of this horrible situation.

"Yes Tiffany?" I ask sweetly even though I am literally forcing the words out of my mouth.

"Now boys you see this is a typical scholarship student. Nothing special. Really just a waste of space in the school," Tiffany starts to explain as if she was teaching a class not even acknowledging me.

"I could say the same thing about you." I mumble. I couldn't help it. Did she really call me over here just to insult me? A few of the boys snort at my comment and Tiffany stares daggers at me. I just glare right back. I don't regret saying it.

"These scholarship students need to sometimes be reminded of their place here at Boston Latin. They think they are entitled to fair treatment but in reality they deserve to be treated like shit. They can't pay for the school so they shouldn't get the same treatment as the kids who pay to go here. They need to be taught a lesson." Tiffany continues before grabbing her soda and walking over to me and slowly pouring it all over my head before shaking it making sure she got every last drop on me. The whole cafeteria has gone quiet and I can feel everyone's eyes on me and the scene unfolding.

I just stand there with my mouth open in a shocked expression with my hands by my shoulders. I am breathing heavily from shock and I am frozen not only in shock but in fear and embarrassment. I feel the sticky soda dripping down my hair and face and all over my body. From the bit that got in my mouth it tastes like coke. Did she really just pour soda all over me? What did I do to deserve this? I don't even look up because I do not want to see the expression of the hockey team or my brother.

"That's right. These scholarship kids have no right to be in a prestigious school like this. They take away opportunities from the other kids. For example this girl right here took away my sister's chances of making the varsity hockey team this year by taking her spot." I hear Stephanie exclaim before I feel more liquid being poured all over me. I gasp because of how cold it is and from what I got in my mouth I can tell it is more coke. I open my eyes and see Stephanie standing in front of me staring me straight in the eyes. There is a moment where it feels like time has stopped and it is just me and Stephanie standing there staring at each other, eye to eye. She then lifts her cup up and throws the last bit of soda in my face. She leans in really close stopping only a few inches from my face. "Boo."

I take off running in the opposite direction as fast as I can with myself on the verge of tears. I run past my lunch table not even bothering to take my backpack. Not only was I just embarrassed in front of the whole school but in front of my brother and his hockey team!

"Kacey!" I hear Riley call after me but I keep running with no intentions of stopping.

I run into the girls bathroom on the other side of the school before sliding down against the wall as tears start to pour out of my eyes. I am not one to cry in these situations usually but I have never felt so mortified and dehumanized in front of that many people. I sit on the floor of the bathroom trying to make sobs as silent as possible. This is nothing like the abuse my parents give me. This is different and hits a whole new nerve in me. My parents have never done anything in public.

I don't know how long I am sobbing in the bathroom alone but I then hear the door open. I look up and see Riley followed by Renee who is holding my backpack and lunch. They don't say anything. They just come in and sit next to me, one of either side and hug me. We sit like that for a few minutes, no one moving or speaking, with the only sound being my sobs which I was trying to control in sniffles but was failing. Finally Riley stands up holding her hands out to me.

"Come on lets get you freshened up a little." she says softly. I take her hands and she pulls me up. While I start to try and wash the tear streaks off my face Riley attempts to wipe some of the wetness off my clothes while Renee tries to make my hair look less frizzy.

"I just wanna leave." I whimper. I don't think I have the energy to go back to another two periods of school.

"That's ok. Just go to the nurse and get excused from school." Riley suggests offering me a small smile. "Here is the key to my place. My parents are out for the night. Just go to my place and shower and get in some comfy clothes and relax until I get back."

I take the keys from Riley.

"Thank you." I whisper as this is all I can really say and hug Renee and Riley tightly before grabbing my bag and lunch and heading over to the nurse's office.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

 **Jack POV**

"This food tastes like it was cooked in a five star restaurant." I hear Ken Morrow say to Bob Suter as we are eating lunch in the school cafeteria.

"Because it's a quality meal Ken. You must not be used to stuff like that." Stephanie remarks to him.

Ken just turns his head and continues to eat his food now silent.

"So Tiffany do you play any sports here?" Rizzo asks trying to clear the tension at the table.

"I play varsity volleyball in the fall and I almost made the varsity girls ice hockey team but some stupid scholarship kid took my place which I think is totally unfair. If you are here on scholarship then you shouldn't have the same opportunities as normal paying students." Tiffany says.

"But they are here on scholarship. That doesn't mean they shouldn't have the same opportunities as normal kids. They just maybe don't have the money to attend the school but got in because they are very good in school or athletics. They shouldn't be discriminated for that." Jimmy argues clearly a bit put off by Tiffany's previous statement. I just sit silently. I never knew that Tiffany felt that way about scholarship kids and me being a previous scholarship kid I feel a bit offended.

"They take away opportunities from kids who pay the money to go here. Besides some of them come from bad neighborhoods and have very bad attitudes. They don't seem to understand that the non scholarship kids and I out rank them. Let me find you the perfect example." Tiffany replies scanning the cafeteria looking for someone to pick out. I feel very uncomfortable about what is being said at the table right now. When I went to school all the scholarship kids were so grateful for the opportunity to be able to go here.

"Hey O'Callahan!"

I whip my around thinking Tiffany is talking to me but she isn't. She is standing up waving over someone at the other side of the cafeteria. I turn my head to a girl with light brown hair at the length of her elbow stop and look at Tiffany like a deer caught in headlights. I quickly recognize the girl as my younger sister. She looks so much older than when I last saw her. She looks like a young woman not a little kid. I see her say something to one of her friends before another girl walks over and takes her lunch. I see Kacey nod and start to walk over here.

"Yes Tiffany?" she asks clearly forcing it out.

"Now boys you see this is a typical scholarship student. Nothing special. Really just a waste of space in the school," Tiffany starts to explain to us. I look at Kacey and see her roll her eyes.

"I could say the same about you." I hear her mumble and I snort at that comment. She always was a bit snarky.

"These scholarship students need to sometimes be reminded of their place here at Boston Latin. They think they are entitled to fair treatment but in reality they deserved to be treated like shit. They can't pay for the school so they shouldn't get the same treatment as the kids who pay to go here. They need to be taught a lesson." Tiffany continues before grabbing her soda and walks over to Kacey and slowly pours it all over her head before shaking it making sure she got every last drop on her.

I look at the scene with a horrified expression on my face. I take a quick glance around the table and see either shocked or horrified expressions on everyone's faces. I want to get up and defend my sister but I am glued to my chair unable to move or speak. Kacey is just standing there shocked with soda dripping all over her. I feel Stephanie stand up from her spot next to me.

"That's right. These scholarship kids have no right to be in a prestigious school like this. They take away opportunities from the other kids. For example this girl right here took away my sister's chances of making the varsity hockey team this year by taking her spot." I hear Stephanie exclaim before I see her pour soda all over Kacey. She gasps and looks up at Stephanie. They stare at each other for a moment before Stephanie throws the last bit of drink in her face. She then leans in really close to Kacey's face and says "Boo."

Kacey literally spins on her heels and sprints across the cafeteria not even bothering to stop when her friend calls out her name. I sit at the table numb. What would possess Stephanie and Tiffany to do this, to my little sister of all people.

"And that is how you put scholarship students in their place." Tiffany boasts as she sits back in her seat followed by Stephanie would puts her arms around me and kisses my cheek. I don't move and look at everyone else at the table and see them looking at me. I just stare back of them feeling numb.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

 **Silky POV**

"Because it's a quality meal Ken. You must not be used to stuff like that." Stephanie remarks to him.

I roll my eyes at this comment. Sorry not everybody has extra money to throw around to go to some fancy public school with an insane tuition. I glance at Jack and can't understand why he is not putting his girlfriend in place. She can not just blatantly insult someone on the team and get away with.

I am about to open my my mouth to say something about this to her but Rizzo cuts me off. "So Tiffany do you play any sports here?"

I give Rizzo the stink eye before turning back to my meal. If I have to listen to this annoying teenage girl talk I might as well be eating good food.

"I play varsity volleyball in the fall and I almost made the varsity girls ice hockey team but some stupid scholarship kid took my place which I think is totally unfair. If you are here on scholarship then you shouldn't have the same opportunities as normal paying students." Tiffany says.

"But they are here on scholarship. That doesn't mean they shouldn't have the same opportunities as normal kids. They just maybe don't have the money to attend the school but got in because they are very good in school or athletics. They shouldn't be discriminated for that." Jimmy argues clearly a bit put off by Tiffany's previous statement. I nod in agreement. I'm surprised Jack isn't saying anything considering he is a previous scholarship kid and his sister is on scholarship at this very school at this very moment.

"They take away opportunities from kids who pay the money to go here. Besides some of them come from bad neighborhoods and have very bad attitudes. They don't seem to understand that the non scholarship kids and I out rank them. Let me find you the perfect example." Tiffany replies scanning the cafeteria looking for someone to pick out. I feel so bad for whoever is about to be embarrassed and humiliated by Tiffany.

"Hey O'Callahan!"

I look at Tiffany thinking see if originally calling Jack but then I see she is calling over a girl from across the cafeteria. She says something to her friends before coming over to us. As she gets closer I recognize her as Kacey! A big smile appears on my face because I have missed her so much. She looks a lot older than when we originally left but it has been a year and a half almost. I turn and see Rizzo and Jimmy smiling. They recognized her too.

"Yes Tiffany?" she asks trying to sound pleasant but it was clearly forced.

"Now boys you see this is a typical scholarship student. Nothing special. Really just a waste of space in the school," Tiffany starts to explain to us. I look at Kacey and see her roll her eyes. Is Tiffany actually gonna insult Kacey in front of all of us including Jack for being a scholarship?

"I could say the same about you." I hear her mumble and I hold back a laugh at that. There's the Kacey I know and love.

"These scholarship students need to sometimes be reminded of their place here at Boston Latin. They think they are entitled to fair treatment but in reality they deserved to be treated like shit. They can't pay for the school so they shouldn't get the same treatment as the kids who pay to go here. They need to be taught a lesson." Tiffany continues before grabbing her soda and walks over to Kacey and slowly pours it all over her head before shaking it making sure she got every last drop on her.

I sit in shock at what has just happened in front of me. I wait for Jack to step in but he doesn't. I just see him looking between Tiffany and Kacey with a pained expression on his face. Kacey is just standing there shocked with soda dripping all over her. Stephanie stands up from her spot and walks over to Kacey.

"That's right. These scholarship kids have no right to be in a prestigious school like this. They take away opportunities from the other kids. For example this girl right here took away my sister's chances of making the varsity hockey team this year by taking her spot." I hear Stephanie exclaim before I see her pour soda all over Kacey. She gasps and looks up at Stephanie. They stare at each other for a moment before Stephanie throws the last bit of drink in her face. She then leans in really close to Kacey's face and says "Boo."

Kacey literally spins on her heels and sprints across the cafeteria not even bothering to stop when her friend calls out her name. I sit at the table sick to my stomach. There was no reason to go and do that to Kacey. What also bothers me is the fact that Jack just sat there and did nothing! I am about to start yelling in Stephanie and Tiffany's faces but I feel Jimmy put his hand on my shoulder and he gives his head small shake.

"And that is how you put scholarship students in their place." Tiffany boasts as she sits back in her chair.

I see Jack look at all of us before staring at the table not saying anything. We doesn't he do anything! Stephanie is literally all over him and she just fucking poured soda all over his little sister!

I quickly take my phone out texting Kacey to see if she was alright. I saw her friends run after her and I felt this might be better for her girl friends to deal with as well as she probably didn't want to see me after just being humiliated in front of me, her brother and the team.

I glare at Jack again and turn towards Jimmy and he doesn't look too happy either.

"Just leave him be." he whispers to me.

I just grunt in return. This girl must really have Jack whipped to be able to throw soda in his little sister's face and get away with it.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

 **Kacey POV**

"So how are how you feeling?" Riley asks me as I take a spoonful of brownie out of my Ben and Jerry's Half Baked pint.

"Why does everyone keep asking me that?" I mutter stuffing the brownie bit in my mouth. All day my friends from school have been texting me to see how I was doing as well as Rizzo, Jimmy and Silky, the three of them have been texting me like 3 times every hour. I just have been ignoring all the texts. I can't but feel a bit hurt that Jack hasn't at least texted to see if I was ok.

"Because you went through a kind of traumatic experience." Riley responds leaning back into her pillows.

Riley parents are both very successful surgeons who travel a lot for work. They are away tonight but will be back tomorrow morning. Riley is an only child and lives in a beautiful townhouse in Beacon Hill which we have to ourselves tonight. Riley's room looks like something a royal princess would have. It has a fireplace that has two chairs by it and to the right is a built in book case that has a bunch of picture frames and fancy knick knacks on it. She has a queen sized bed with light rose canopy as the head board. Her bed frame was a soft cloth with roses on it. Her pillows were white while her comforter was a light pink pearl color. I sit next to Riley on her bed and just shrug.

"It's gonna blow over during break so by time I get back to school it's going to be forgotten and I really just don't wanna think about it."

As soon as I got back to Riley's house I took a nice hot shower and cried some more but didn't have to silent my cries because I was alone in the house. I then changed into my black nike sweatpants and a Boston Bruins tank top with a sports bra underneath. I keep most of my nice clothes at Riley's because I don't want them getting ruined when my parents would tear my room apart at my house. She gives me all the clothes she doesn't want anymore also which rocks because I don't always have to worry about buying myself new clothes. At my parents house I usually keep a few pairs of jeans, tank tops, sweatshirts etc. I try to spend as little time as possible there but I always end up spending 5 nights there with at least 3 nights of us fighting or me getting hit, slapped etc.

"Have you responded to anyone's texts?"

"No. What is with the interrogation?" I ask defensively.

"Because I want to make sure you are ok." Riley tells me. "You know Jimmy, Mike and Dave are worried sick right now with the amount they have been texting you." She holds up my phone which has 10 new text messages from the three of them that are from only the past 30 minutes.

"I know. I just don't wanna deal with that right now. I just need to sit back, relax, watch some Grease and forget this whole thing ever happened." I say.

Riley presses her lips together before finally giving in. "Fine, but tomorrow you will text them back."

A/N: Ok so I have one serious question for everyone. Would you rather have Mike Ramsey or Mark Johnson as Kacey's love interest? Nothing is gonna happen overly soon but there is a little plot twist I wanna put in ;)


	4. Chapter 4

**Dave POV**

I am laying on Rizzo's hotel bed in nice khaki pants and a vineyard vines blue button down shirt. We are getting ready to go to the Eruzione's for Thanksgiving.

"Will you hurry up Jimmy!" Rizzo yells pounding on the bathroom door.

"In a minute!" Jimmy calls back.

"He takes forever. You would think he was a girl." Rizzo complains as he throws himself onto the bed next to me.

"He has to make sure his hair is parted exactly the right way." I snicker. "You can use the bathroom in my room if you want. Jack isn't there because he already left for Stephanie's family's Thanksgiving."

"He is still talking to Stephanie?" Rizzo asks me astonished.

I just shrug in response. The fact that he is still going over to Stephanie's place for Thanksgiving after what she did to his little sister is insane.

"Has she texted you back yet?" I ask Rizzo. "I have not gotten one response from her."

"I haven't either. I don't think she wants to talk to us right now."

"Yeah but I want to make sure she is ok. She can at least text back that she is ok and that she doesn't want to talk." I argue.

"I know. I feel the exact same way." Rizzo mumbles.

 **Kacey POV**

I step out of the train and onto the platform with my purse on one arm and a homemade chocolate cake in the other. It's finally Thanksgiving and I am going to the Eruzione's aka my second family. I straightened my hair but curled it at the ends. I am wearing black heels, black skinny jean pants and a light pick top that has the chest and short sleeve arms as black lace. I am also wearing black flower earrings, a black bracelet and a black ring. I was able to get out of texting the boys back by distracting Riley a bunch and leaving the house earlier than I had to.

"Kacey!"

I smile when I see Victoria and Gabriella running towards me. They are Rizzo's 13 year old twin cousins and they idolize me for some reason. I don't know why you would idolize me.

"Hello girls!" I say as I hug them.

"It's so good to see you! Mother and Aunt Natale and everyone is excited to see you!" Victoria exclaims.

"Yeah so excited that we had to show up here 30 minutes early." Their older brother Joey, who is only a few months older than me at 16, says coming up behind them.

"Well let's not keep them waiting." I respond as they lead me to the car. The car happens to be Rizzo's old black 1954 Mustang.

I get in the passenger seat next to Joey while the two girls climb into the back seat.

Rizzo has a huge family that is a bit overwhelming when you first meet them. There is Giuseppe (Rizzo's Dad), Natale (Rizzo's Mom), Valeria and Carla (Rizzo's two older sisters). Then there is Rosetta and Alfredo (they are Joey, Victoria and Gabriella's parents. Rosetta is Natale's sister). Then there is also Leo who is Carla's husband and their 2 year old daughter Marisa. And then there is Mrs. Lombardi who is Natale's mother and Rizzo's grandmother and let me say she is a firecracker. Now that is only the most important part of the family. There are still the other 2 sisters and brother of Natale as well as their kids and Giuseppe's whole side of the family. All in all it ends up being about 60 people in the house for Thanksgiving with the number increasing to 80 around Christmas. The Eruzione's are the stereotypical italian family. We finally pull up to the house. It's a quaint little house, with a dark blue paint on the outside with a large deck in front painted in white. It was on the smaller side with only one window on the upper floor under one of those triangle roof things.

"Kacey's here!" I hear called out as soon as I step out of the car.

"So are we!" Gabriella calls back.

"How are you sweetie? You look beautiful." Valeria comes up and hugs me before taking the cake from my hand. "You didn't have to bring this."

"I know but I wanted to. It's a thank you present to your mother." I reply.

Valeria leads me inside where I am greeted by everyone and after about 10 minutes of introductions I finally make it to the kitchen where Mrs. Eruzione is cooking all the delicious foods.

"Ah Kacey! Darling you look beautiful! Come over here!" She exclaims putting down the tomato she was chopping and giving me a very big tight hug.

"Thank you Mrs. Eruzione."

"Honey please, I've been telling you for almost 6 years now to call me Natale. Mrs. Eruzione makes me feel way to old and formal." Natale scolds lightly but with a smile on her face.

"Ok Natale."

Natale Eruzione looked like your typical italian mother. Her black hair with wisps of silver was tied back into a tight bun and she had an apron across her dressy clothes. She was very loving and treated you like you were her child even if you weren't.

"Do you need any help in the kitchen?" I ask politely.

"Oh no honey I am doing ok." she responds. I just roll my eyes and grab an apron off the hook and start to tie it around my waist. I always help out in the kitchen during the holidays. I pick up an onion and start chopping it.

"Have you heard from your brother lately?" Natale questions.

"Nope."

"You know the team is in Boston right?"

"Yes. I don't need to be reminded." I say. "Everyone has been telling me that."

Natale sees that the subject of my brother and the hockey team is not sitting well with me and changes the subject.

"How is hockey going for you? Any colleges fighting to sign you yet?"

"Not yet but I have seen a lot of scouts at games." I tell her.

"Victoria said that you were the youngest girl to ever make the varsity team and that you just received the Danny Nickels award this year. That is a very prestigious award especially for only being a sophomore." Natale continues and turns to look at me.

"Yeah it is a really big honor." I say smiling.

"She also mentioned that you were named one of the best forwards in the state of Massachusetts." she responds raising her eyebrows.

"Yeah I was. Youngest girl again to be named in that category. It's kind of overwhelming but it really is no big deal." I reply.

"Oh stop being humble!" Natale scolds and whips the towel at my leg hitting me. "You are one of the best in the state and you should be able to brag about it. If you don't start bragging about it I will brag for you."

I laugh at her last comment. "I just don't feel like it is a big deal. It is such a huge honor but being the best player in the state for girls high school hockey isn't exactly isn't going to make me get more conditioned or make my skills improve or make me a better hockey player."

"No but it does recognize all the hard work you have put in." Natale reasons with me.

I think about that for a minute. "Yeah I guess you're right."

"Mothers know best." she responds smiling and giving a little wave of her wooden spoon.

"Sì, madri conoscono meglio. (Yes, mothers know best)." I respond in italian. The whole Eruzione family was fluent in italian so I was able to learn a bunch and I also take the class in school so I am becoming fluent very fast.

"Stop talking in italian. This is America not Italy." Gabriella complains as she walks into the kitchen with Victoria.

"It's your culture. Embrace it." Natale says.

"Kacey can you come outside with us and help us set up the football game?" Victoria asks me.

"Yeah sure." I whip my hands on a towel before taking off my apron and following the girls through the house and outside into the backyard.

Gabriella starts to inflate the ball while Victoria and I start to set up the yardage lines.

"Hey Kacey, how do you know when a boy likes you?" Victoria suddenly asks me.

"Well they try and spend as much time with you as possible, they care about you and your interests, sometimes they are immature and tease you. Why? Does somebody have a crush on you?" I ask smiling and nudging her.

Victoria blushes and looks down. "I don't know. Maybe."

"Just don't let Joey know. He will get super over protective." I advise as I mark the end zone for one end.

"Yeah I know." she responds pausing. "Did Jack ever get super overprotective with you?"

I stop what I am doing and close my eyes.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you-." Victoria starts.

"No. No. It's fine. I'm not upset. I just started to remember." I reassure her. "He was always very overprotective with me but I was younger so it was never with boys. I don't know what he would do now. Probably threaten to beat the shit out of any boy who didn't bring me home by 8:00 or any boy that even talked to me for that matter. "

"Why didn't he do anything yesterday?" she questions and my head shoots up.

"You heard about that?" I ask embarrassed about what went down in the cafeteria yesterday.

Victoria bites her lip and nods. "Joey mentioned something about being extra nice and helpful to you and we asked why. Everyone inside know too."

"Let me guess Riley told him."

Victoria nods. "It was a really horrible thing she did to you. I'm sorry."

"Oh please don't be sorry. I hate when people feel sorry for me. Thank you though." I tell her. "That explains why your aunt was trying to over praise me for all my hockey achievements."

"Yeah, Aunt Natale can never be that subtle." Victoria laughs.

"I'm gonna go inside for a sec!" Gabriella calls over to us and I wave in acknowledgement.

"I just can't believe Mike didn't do anything. Same goes for Jimmy and Dave." Victoria continues. "I mean they are like older brothers to you as well."

"I don't know. I didn't really give them a chance before I just ran because I was so embarrassed." I say truthfully. "Can we please stop talking about this? It is still kind of too soon."

Victoria nods. "Yeah."

We continue to prepare the make shift football field in silence.

"Um Kacey! You might wanna come inside and see this!" Gabriella yells across the yard. "You too Victoria!"

Victoria and I share a glance before putting down of supplies and walking across the yard. I enter the house which is bustling with noise and Eruzione's. Victoria and I follow Gabriella through the sun room into the kitchen and down the hall towards the den. I see Joey standing in the entry way looking happy but apprehensive and when he glances down the hall and sees me gives me a small comforting smile.

"What is it?" I ask softly walking up to him.

Joey just motions his head into the den. I turn my head and look inside.

"Oh my baby boy! How has the weather been? I know its cold there so you better be wearing a lot of sweaters and coats!" I hear Natale pestering. I look to see who she is talking to and see Rizzo with Silky and Jimmy behind him and then behind them the rest of the team!

I feel my stomach drop and I suddenly get very nervous. I look back at Joey and give him a pleading look. I am not ready to face any of them after what happened yesterday. Joey just shrugs at a loss of what to do. I turn back and look at the boys. I see they are all preoccupied by Rizzo's family. As I am glancing over the boys I make eye contact with Rob McClanahan. He furrows his eyebrows trying to remember where he has seen me before it dawns on him that I am the girl that he saw soda get poured on her yesterday. I don't know if he knows I am Jack's sister or not. I remember my brother talking about Rob and how he threw a cheap shot him which ultimately made him lose the 2011 National Championships. I break the stare and look down at my feet before lifting my eyes back up in curiosity. I see Rob move and nudge Jimmy lightly before whispering something in his ear. Jimmy's eyebrows furrow before his eyes widen and looks in my direction.

Now I made eye contact with Jimmy and we just stare at each other for a moment before a huge smile breaks out on his face. At that moment all my worries and fears that I had vanished. His smile reminds me that he and the other boys and my brother were my support system in the past and that hasn't changed just because of the distance between us.

Suddenly the kitchen timer starts going off.

"Oh my meatballs! Kacey can you go get those!"

"I got it!" I respond and walk briskly down the hall to the kitchen to start to move the meatballs from the boiling water to the strainer so they can cool off before Natale starts to prepare them for the feast. As I am doing this I hear shuffling into the kitchen and feel the stares of 19 boys on me.

"Let me finish." I warn continuing to transfer the meatballs.

"Here sweetie I got it." Natale says coming next to me and taking the spoon from my hand. I smile at her before I turn around.

"Ok you gu-." I am cut off by a bear crushing hug and then another person hugs me and then another and I end up in between three huge hockey players. I smile and hug them back.

"Not that I'm not enjoying this but I can't breath." I squeak out.

The boys reluctantly pull away.

"I missed you guys." I say looking between the three hockey players.

"We missed you too." Rizzo replies smiling back at me.

"Yeah, you were brought up in conversation at least twice a day." laughs a blonde guy behind them who I believe is Bill Baker.

I laugh at that comment. "All good things I hope."

"Of course not. We told them how you were always mean to us and kicked and hit us whenever you had the chance." Silky teases and I respond by sticking my tongue out at him.

"Kacey, we need to finish setting up for football." Victoria interrupts standing awkwardly in the door way.

"Yeah! I'll be back in like 10 minutes." I tell them before following Victoria back outside. As soon as I finish I go back inside and find the team sitting in the den together. When they see me walk in they all smile while Silky, Rizzo and Jimmy stand up and walk over to me.

"Ok let's introduce you to everyone because everyone is very excited to meet you." Rizzo tells me.

"I don't wanna sound like a stalker but I already know who everyone is. Between college games and watching you guys on the national team I know you guys." I admit sheepishly.

"Ah we got ourselves a fan here." Phil Verchota hoots.

"Well of course. Her best friend and brother are on the team so she has to be cheering us on." Silky says slinging an arm around me.

"Well actually I was cheering on the Minnesota guys." I tease him.

That comment earns a few hoots and hollers from the guys while Silky puts his hand on his heart as if in pain.

"Ouch. That really hurts coming from my best friend." he pretends to groan in pain.

"Oh grow up you big baby." I grin giving him a playful shove. "I was cheering everyone on but mostly you, Jimmy, Rizzo and Jack."

"Yeah Jack would love to hear that you were cheering him on every step of the way." Jimmy comments.

"Speaking of Jack, where is he?" I question.

Nobody answers avoiding my eyes. I quickly put together where he is but before I can even make a statement I am interrupted.

"Dinner is ready!" Natale yells calling everyone to the wonderful Thanksgiving feast she has prepared.

 **After Dinner**

I am finishing up the dishes with Natale, Victoria and Gabriella when Jimmy taps my shoulder.

"Can we talk for a moment?"

I nod putting the towel down before following Jimmy to the back porch and sitting on the steps with him. I have a feeling I know where this is going.

"How are you doing? I mean after the whole um incident yesterday." Jimmy asks not looking at me directly.

I take a deep breath. "I'm fine. I mean I am completely embarrassed by what happened but there is nothing I can do to change it. Stephanie is still with Jack obviously because he isn't here tonight. She somehow makes Jack happy and he probably cares about her more than me so I just have to make the best of the situation when I am around Stephanie and Tiffany I guess."

"You don't have to make the best of the situation with them. What they did to you was malicious and uncalled for. If I am saying you don't have to make the best of a situation that is saying something." Jimmy says. "And Jack does not care about Stephanie more than you! You are his little sister for crying out loud!"

"Then why didn't he do anything? Or at least text to make sure I was ok afterwards like you, Rizzo and Silky did." I ask quietly. Jimmy stays silent at that.

"I know that you guys were in shock but it did hurt when no one stepped in to defend me, I'm not gonna lie." I continue. "But you guys at least texted me afterwards, actually spam texted and called me to see if I was doing ok. I got nothing from Jack."

"I think I can speak for the other boys, all of them not just the Boston ones, that we were so shocked by what was happening in front of our eyes that we didn't think to do anything. It was like watching something straight out of a movie. Silky wanted to run after you when you left but we stopped him saying to give you some time. We all hate Stephanie for many reasons but I'm not gonna get into that." Jimmy explains. "Why didn't you text us back?"

"Because I was angry… And upset and embarrassed and depressed. I was hurting." I begin. "I just needed time to figure out what had just happened."

"That's understandable." Jimmy agrees.

"And it hurt that none of you told me you were coming to Boston."

"We honestly thought Jack had contacted you and that we were all gonna get together like old times." Jimmy informs me. "If we had known that he didn't contact you from the beginning we would have contacted you. You didn't think we would come to Boston and not see you did you?"

"I don't know. I guess not. I just- I don't know what to think or feel right now." I admit.

"How about you go and enjoy the night with us and Eruziones since it is Thanksgiving and then if you decide to be mad at us that is fine and we will try to make it up to you. And if you decide that you're not mad then we can all hang out together while we are in Boston until we leave." Jimmy reasons with me.

"Fine. That sounds fair." I agree.

"Come here." He says softly pulling me into a very tight hug. "I love you Kacey. So does Rizzo and Silky and so does Jack but you know he can sometimes be an, well an asshole but I am sure he would be proud of the strong young woman you have become. You have grown up so much since we have last seen you."

I chuckle. "Trust me he is my brother. I know he is an asshole. And thank you. It means a lot to hear that."

"Let's go back inside so the guys can get to know you. They have been hearing about you non stop for the past year and a half."

Jimmy leads me back inside where the team greets me with open arms. I spent a little time with them just getting to know them.

"Ok boys we are starting the football game if you wanna join." Mr. Eruzione comes in and tells us. Being young adult men everyone quickly jumps up to join the game. While the teams are being divided I go and sit with Victoria, Gabriella, Natale and all the other women.

The game is about to start when all the hockey team goes silent and looks towards the porch. I turn around and see my brother standing there.

"Hey, is there room for one more?" he asks hesitantly.

Everyone is still for a moment before Rizzo breaks into a huge smile and nods.

"There is always room for you."

 **Kacey POV**

I sit with the girls and watch the game cheering on both teams. Eventually the team with Jack and Rizzo won and it was time for dessert. I quickly follow Natale inside to help set up the desserts in a buffet style and to try and avoid Jack for the time being. I don't know if I'm ready to talk to him yet. As I am setting my chocolate cake on the table I hear someone clear their throat behind me. I turn around and see Jack standing awkwardly in the doorway.

"Hi." he says quietly.

"Hi."

We stand there in an uncomfortable silence which lasts only 3 or 4 seconds but feels like forever.

"Can we talk?" he asks.

"I'm kind of busy right now." I respond cooly before walking outside towards the garage to get some more of the desserts that are stored there.

"Kacey please!" Jack pleads following me outside. He goes to grab my arm but I yank it away.

"I don't wanna talk to you Jack! Just leave me alone!" I spit out. I feel anger start to course through my veins. He actually has the guts to try and talk to me after what just happened yesterday.

"Please hear me out Kacey. You don't have to talk. Just listen." Jack tries again but I just scoff and go into the garage. Jack follows me in and shuts the door behind him.

"Open the door Jack. I need to bring the desserts in."

"No. Not until we talk."

"Fine! You wanna talk? Let's talk! Let's talk about how as soon as you start dating your fiancé you pretty much stopped talking to me and barely sent me any money! You knew I was living with mom and dad and that your money was the only thing keeping me a float! Let's talk about how Tiffany terrorized me everyday since the beginning of sophomore year and how her father is just looking for a reason to pull my scholarship from me!" I start screaming. "Let's talk about how when Tiffany starts insulting me, you do nothing and even when she pours her soda all over me you still do nothing! Even when Stephanie gets up and pours soda all over me and embarrasses me not only in front of the school but the whole hockey team you do nothing! Nothing Jack! Nothing! So don't you dare come in here and act all entitled thinking you can just show up here and start talking to me as if nothing happened and pick up where we left off!"

I realize I am on the verge of tears. I take a deep breath and close my eyes.

"There is nothing to talk about Jack. Your priorities are clear."

Jack is silent for a few moments before speaking. "I really fucked up. Kacey, I-." Jack stops again trying to find the right words. "I can't make you forgive me for what has happened over these past months. I really fucked up. Big time. I should have defended you yesterday but I was - I was scared and I was numb. I didn't know what to do. I was frozen. Kacey, I'm so sorry for everything." Jack says.

"Sorry isn't going to erase what has happened Jack."

"I know but I want to start to fix the damage. That's why I'm here tonight." Jack tells me.

"Please your only here because the Wilkson's ended their Thanksgiving and you had nothing better to do." I accuse.

"No, actually I broke up with Stephanie." Jack informs me.

I snap my head up looking at Jack now. "What?"

"Yeah. I broke off the engagement. I went over there this morning and told her that she was gonna have to apologize to you as well as Tiffany apologize to you and to start to at least try to get along with you. Stephanie got mad and gave me a choice. Her or you. I choose you. Then for the past few hours I have been walking around Boston thinking about how much I screwed up and how I am ever gonna make it up to you." Jack continues.

I stand there trying to process what my brother was telling me.

"You don't need to forgive me tonight. I just want you to give me a chance to make it up to you while I'm in town." Jack says.

"Fine. Will you please let me out now?" I say picking up the bowl of jello from the fridge.

Jack nods and opens the door for me. I walk back inside and continue to help Mrs. Eruzione with setting dessert up.


End file.
